You have a choice when it comes to web hosting, dns query handling, and domain registration. Don't choose Dotster!

For a bit more than a decade, I registered several domains with Dotster, one of the early discount registrars. Way back in 2002, they had a reputation for being inexpensive and low-overhead. That was fine: I didn't need a lot of tech-support, I just needed a place to host my boring static content.

Over the years, the amount of data I was hosting with them gradually increased to the point where I exceeded the 10 gigabyte storage limit of their basic account. No problem: I opted to spend more and purchased a premium account with 100 gigabytes of storage. At some point, Dotster concluded that it wasn't worth putting limits on their premium accounts, and upgraded me (at no additional cost) to an unlimited account. The only problem being that Dotster's new definition of "unlimited" is a whole lot less than you were getting when you signed up for 100 gigabytes. (Go ahead, look it up.) While they never gave me a precise figure, in January of 2013 Dotster emailed me that the 47 gigabytes I was using was excessive, and that they could no longer host my content. As I had just renewed my hosting services for three years in December of 2012 this was irritating to say the least.

I'd like to say that I transferred my content to a new hosting provider, updated my DNS records using Dotster's online control panel, and that Dotster cheerfully refunded my money. But that's not what happened.

Oh, I transferred my content to a new hosting provider and updated my DNS records without incident. (Actually, re-uploaded is a better term: given Dotster's pathetic connection to the internet, it was faster to upload a copy of my data from my home than it was to download it from them. And I don't have to worry about my new hosting provider complaining about my disk usage: my new host is a dedicated server with 2,000 gigabytes of disk space that I may use as I see fit, for a bit less than four times as much money as what Dotster was charging me. But I digress.)

Then I asked for a refund.

That's when my troubles began.

Within a day of my refund request, they agreed to refund the bulk of the money I'd spent on hosting. Not all of it, but close enough not to worry about it. They also terminated my account with them, and with it, all access to the DNS for all of my domains. Oh, and they updated the DNS for all my hosted domains to point to some stupid advertisements instead of my shiny new dedicated server. All without any notice to me other than a "we're refunding your money" email.

It's taken three days, six additional phone calls (and over five hours on hold listening to how Dotster "knows my time is valuable", "appreciates my call", and "will be right back") and Dotster still only has some of my domains back online.

I shudder to think how long it's going to take to transfer my domains to a reputable registrar. Or how long they'll be offline during the transition. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Questions? Comments? Just want to share your Dotster horror stories? Email me.

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